Wellbeing Tourism
Community Educator (Master’s Degree)
Design, build, lead – study wellbeing tourism!
Wellbeing tourism is one of the fastest-growing tourism sectors in the world, and Finland’s nature, culture, and community expertise place it at the heart of the field. This 90-ECTS master’s programme prepares you to build and lead sustainable businesses in wellbeing and nature-based tourism – combining business skills with community, cultural, and environmental responsibility.
The programme is delivered by Humak in cooperation with Xamk (South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences). You study on-campus in Helsinki, in an international student community. You have a chance to develop your own business idea throughout your studies and if you wish, you can take concrete steps towards establishing your own company as part of your degree.
Who is this programme for?
International learners curious to combine expertise in wellbeing, tourism, and entrepreneurship
You are looking for an international master’s programme that combines your interests in wellbeing, sustainable tourism, and enterprise, and you want to study in a country known for its expertise in nature-based tourism. You want to gain the business, leadership, and community competencies that will let you launch your own venture or move into strategic roles in the growing global wellbeing tourism sector.
Professionals ready to move from operational to strategic
You already work in tourism, hospitality, wellbeing, culture, or community development, and you want to expand your role. You want to sharpen your business thinking, strengthen your leadership skills, and learn how to design meaningful experiences – while being part of an international community. This master’s programme gives you the strategic, entrepreneurial, and community-oriented competencies to move into leadership, launch new ventures, or take your work to the next level.
Bachelor’s graduates ready to move in a new direction
You have a bachelor’s degree in your pocket and are ready to reshape your career – either by specialising further or by moving into a new field where your existing background gives you an edge. You may be drawn to wellbeing tourism because it combines your interest in nature, culture, or community with entrepreneurship, or because you can see the sector growing and want to be part of it. This programme gives you both the entrepreneurial and community-oriented competencies to make the move.
Helsinki
Master studies in wellbeing tourism are perfect for you if…
You are ready to commit to full-time study
This is a full-time master’s programme designed to be completed in three semesters (1.5 years). Campus teaching takes place on average three days per week, giving you a clear rhythm for focused study, independent work, and your thesis project.
You value in-person learning and international networks
Contact teaching is mostly carried out on-site at our Helsinki campus. You learn alongside students from different countries and professional backgrounds, building the connections, collaborations, and networks that last well beyond graduation.
You want to build something of your own
Lectures, workshops, project work, and company visits are designed so you develop your business idea alongside your studies. Lecturers, guest experts, and fellow students act as your sparring partners throughout the programme.
Programme content
The Master of Humanities, Community Educator, Wellbeing Tourism has a scope of 90 ECTS credits and is planned to be completed in three semesters.
The studies combine expertise from community development, ethical leadership, and nature-based approaches to wellbeing and entrepreneurship, financial management, marketing, and customer experience development. Throughout the programme, you develop your own business idea – and can take concrete steps towards launching a company as part of your studies.
These studies focus on the human, cultural, and community dimensions of wellbeing tourism. You learn how nature supports wellbeing, how cultural and local contexts shape tourism experiences, and how to design ethical, participatory, and sustainable practices. Topics include foresight and futures thinking, nature connectedness and wellbeing, cultural perspectives on nature and communities, designing nature-based wellbeing experiences, ethical leadership, and sustainable management and partnership development.
These studies build the entrepreneurial and business capabilities needed to turn your ideas into viable ventures. You learn to analyse markets, develop business models, manage finances, and build customer relationships in the wellbeing tourism context. Topics include entrepreneurship in wellbeing tourism, business environment analysis, entrepreneurship sparring, marketing and productisation, financial management, and customer experience research and development.
The thesis is a research-based development project commissioned by a partner organisation, and work on it begins in the early stages of your studies. The commissioner may be your own workplace, another organisation in the field, or one of Humak’s or Xamk’s development projects. The thesis is primarily completed as pair work, but it can also be carried out individually. Through the thesis, you demonstrate your ability to develop the wellbeing tourism field using a research-based approach.
The RPL process, also known as Recognition of Prior Leaning at Humak means you might be able to substitute part of your studies with previously acquired work experience or education (RPL procedure). For Master’s degree courses, it is possible to apply RPL for competence acquired through work or leisure activities up to 10 years old or through level 7 education. Recognition of prior learning is handled on a case-by-case basis.
What skills will you have upon graduation?
We train professionals who can build and lead sustainable businesses in wellbeing tourism – combining business skills with community, cultural, and environmental responsibility.
Our goal is, that upon graduation, you know how to…
Build and lead a sustainable business
You can develop and lead a business in nature-based and wellbeing tourism – from analysing markets and designing business models to managing finances, marketing, and customer relationships.
Design meaningful experiences
You can design participatory and inclusive wellbeing experiences grounded in the human–nature relationship, and sensitive to the cultural and community contexts in which they take place.
Lead people, communities, and partnerships
You can lead ethically and reflectively in complex professional environments, and build stakeholder ecosystems that support sustainable regional and community development.
Develop the field with research-based approaches
You can apply research and development competencies to produce independent, evidence-based contributions to the wellbeing tourism field — through your thesis and your professional practice.
Career opportunities
Graduates can work as entrepreneurs, developers, and leaders in the nature-based and wellbeing tourism sector, and in similar fields where community development and sustainability expertise are needed. Graduates can also build their own business in areas such as guided nature-based experiences, wellness retreats, sustainable travel services, or new service concepts combining tourism with community and cultural offerings. Graduates can work in development, leadership, and specialist roles in tourism and hospitality companies, regional development agencies, municipalities, destination organisations, and NGOs.
“Wellbeing tourism brings together nature, people, communities and entrepreneurship. Our aim is that you do not only study these themes – you learn by developing real ideas, experimenting with them, and turning them into meaningful and sustainable services.“
Olli Kamunen, Senior Lecturer, Humak
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Contact teaching is mostly carried out on-site at Humak’s Helsinki campus (Ilkantie 4, Helsinki, Finland) approximately three days per week.
The main study location is Humak’s Helsinki campus (Ilkantie 4, Helsinki, Finland). Some field courses and training periods might take place elsewhere in Finland.
Yes. You can apply for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) if you already have relevant work experience or studies. Approved credits can shorten your study time and let you focus on developing new skills.
The thesis (30 ECTS) is a research-based development project done in cooperation with a partner organisation – your own workplace, another organisation in the field, or one of Humak’s or Xamk’s development projects. Work on it begins in the early stages of your studies, and it is primarily done as pair work, though it can also be individual.
More information
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